Shigeshoshi 5-9 (spoilers)

(The write-up for each episode is supposed to be posted separately since I wrote each as I finished the episode. I also never really looked back at previous write-ups so this post will most likely contain some, if not a lot of conflicting information. Also, there are probably many inaccurate observations ahead. Spoilers, probably, but only if they are understandable enough as such.)

Episode 5:

So this episode manages to mislead me about the body of the week, because this character has appeared in previous episodes (and I was so sure this character would not be killed off). But for most of this episode, I'll confess, I was so bored that my mind wandered to more interesting places to pass the time. Partly probably because I have no earthly clue what they all talk about (although I don't get the impression that the conversations would be all that interesting even if I were to understand them).

I don't like the romance at all. It just seems unnatural to me for some reason (other than the eerie timing, I mean). Maybe the problem is I don't think I like Koyuki-sensei that much. I'm not sure if that is a bad thing or a good thing. On one hand, she annoys me. On the other hand, the fact that I have some kind of reaction toward her means I remember her. I mean, save for her, Mamiya, Mitsuru, Renji, and Azuki (the nurse Mamiya seems to be infatuated with, and she with him), I still don't register who most other characters are.

Mitsuru is still a pest to Mamiya and has some of the worst timings, but I adore his scenes anyway.

Episode 6:

So is this a father-theme episode? I count at least three fathers this episode is dealing with. One is dead at the beginning of the episode. One is dead some time ago. And one may work himself to dead because of the first one.

I appreciate a glimpse into Mamiya's past. Hope to see more mention of his father in future episodes.

And I had fun trying to recall where I'd seen Keiji (not sure if that's his name), the son of the first father, before. I honestly don't know if there hadn't been a post on d_boys about Masaki Kaji's appearance in this episode would I get a clue on my own. Anyway, it was about halfway through the episode (around the time he was having donuts with Mamiya--or more accurately, when he was sitting with Mamiya, who was having donuts) before I realized who he was.

So the show finally decides to reveal that Azuki is Mitsuru's older sister, in the most cliche way possible. (Their relationship is probably obvious from the beginning to a lot of people, but this is one of those little details I don't exactly keep track on unless told outright. Wait, maybe it is told outright before this, I'm just absent-minded enough to not notice....)

Randomly, is it just Mamiya who likes donuts, or is everyone else too?

I don't pretend to understand what kind of things people who suffer some kind of trauma would have gone through, so maybe I'm at a loss here as to how to explain the victim girl's reaction. What exactly happens to her? Does she get shocked, paralyzed, or whatever? In any case, it is serious enough to warrant her papa to try to commit a crime.

And that was the worst cliffhanger I'd seen in a while. I hope the show doesn't get out of it easily. But, hey, if they kill off Mamiya, they'll have to find another embalmer and change the name of the show. (Can't have 'Mamiya Shinjuro' as part of the title anymore.)

Episode 7:

First episode that does not start directly with the OP, but a recap from last episode.

Oh, and the aforementioned cliffhanger? Weirdly, I was partly right. He did get replaced, but perhaps (hopefully?) just for this episode. (And can I just say I don't like the new embalmer one bit? She just seems patronizing toward Mamiya. (I just keep thinking 'don't talk as if you know/understand anything about his circumstances'.) But I don't think I'm supposed to like or dislike her, so I don't know.) In any case, I didn't entertain serious notions of Mamiya dying, at least not physically. But mentally he seemed pretty screwed up.

I question the wisdom of most everyone in this show. (Not that I haven't been doing that since episode 1, but...) Anyway, I guess the doctor no longer annoys me, even though she doesn't really change (maybe because now she's on Mamiya side? I don't know. Not that she was really against him in the first place).

In Mamiya's case, confession is not good for the soul, apparently. Worry-free people would know to dismiss the ravings of a madman who lost his daughter (did he? I'm not so clear on that point), but Mamiya was troubled (felt guilty that his work apparently has a negative consequence) previously and this just compounded it to almost past breaking point.

Finally, the show once again remembers who Mitsuru is supposed to be. I rather missed his singing. :P

I like that things have consequences, and one action influences another. The early episodes don't seem to have much sense of connection between them. Not a complaint, since I've been mostly aware of the format from the beginning, but it's a pleasant surprise to see how one event lead to another related event.

(Here is me trying to articulate what I'm talking about in the above paragraph: In this case, the robber(?) guy killed himself in...er...very shocking way, thus led to the need his face/body needed to be prettied up, so entered Mamiya to do the job. The girl the robber shot observed the violent way he died, thus when she saw his face again in a magazine, apparently looking unlike the way he did when he died, she basically went mad. So her father went mad too, and set to come destroy what disturbed his daughter's peace of mind. Mamiya got in the way and got stabbed. Luckily, his wound(s) were not in vital places, apparently, since he survived. Now Mamiya was all subdued. His embalming the robber caused distress and harm. Basically, even with all the people trying to cheer him up, he just lost it and couldn't do his job as an embalmer any longer. It probably didn't help that the body of the week was the old guy Mamiya talked to on occasions. So entered another embalmer, who apparently was fortunate enough to never have a moral dilemma, and who had no personal connection with the old guy, so of course she finished embalming him without any problem.)

And Azuki did find out about Mamiya. I mostly expected it after she saw the embalming book, courtesy of her brother, who meant well but never seemed to know when something was appropriate or not. (Now whom does that remind me of? Nah, I'm thinking too much.)

Episode 8:

So I learn more character names (honestly, the character plate cards (occupations/descriptions and names) have been there since episode 1, but did I pay attention to them? No. And I guess it is good that the show keeps putting these cards in because it took me this long to really look at them.) Not that I know anything else about them, but the long-haired nurse is Madoka and the short curly haired one is Yukari. But I still don't catch the name of that weird, sort of creepy guy wearing glass in pajama (or hospital clothing) who seems to hang around the hospital like forever. And I'm amused(?) that Renji is apparently "[something in kanji I can't read] Coordinator."

And Azuki? Why don't you just shout that information about Mamiya being an embalmer from the rooftop? This is another cliche misunderstanding when a character actually confirms what other characters haven't known for sure. (I think she made sort of a similar mistake as Mamiya did in the previous episode, regarding the girl's father, when he volunteered information not exactly(?) asked for, or when he shouldn't be honest with the answer at any rate.)

Yeah, Shigeshoshi, go ahead and kill a cute kid, why don't you? Not to mention there is this rather long scene of him dying, which sort of disturbed me. Of all the bodies so far, I think it's the cruelest that this kid had to die. (Not that I want any of the others to die (except perhaps one), but the kid was young. He hadn't even really begun to live yet...) And speaking of bodies, after I sort of remarked in episode 4 review that virtually all of them were female, now all I see are male bodies.

Mitsuru being a cute pest and having worst timings is enjoyable to watch, but it seems that might all change. I got an inkling that something drastic might be coming up regarding Mitsuru's character when Mamiya finally snapped at him. Honestly, I'm afraid of what Mitsuru will do, now that he knows Mamiya is an embalmer. To say he doesn't take the information well is probably an understatement.

And it seems the new embalmer will be gone now, probably because this show is too small for two embalmers now that Mamiya can function as one again (and his work again is being appreciated rather than condemned). (And I will forget that it was just so sappy the way he was convinced to take up the job again. It was even more sappy than the way he was convinced he could no longer do it (the self-blame mindset I could at least try to understand).) So she's basically a mirror for Mamiya to check up on his mistake(s)?

Next episode looks weird. Why would Yukari (I think?) be in a wedding dress walking with someone who looks old enough to be her grandfather?

Episode 9:

Ah, I kind of like this episode, I think. Unlike other episodes, it has no embalming or scenes at funeral home (the beginning doesn't count, and I'm not sure what that is all about. Perhaps it is a prelude to what is to come (no embalming)?). (I don't mind those scenes. I watch with the understanding that they normally come with this show. I just like that it breaks free of the formula for once.) And hey, normal Mamiya (the non-angsty one) is back, which I'm glad. Overall, despite someone dying, the episode seems rather uplifting.

So I had a little misunderstanding of the preview I saw from the previous episode. I couldn't help chuckling a little at that. It appears that the old guy from the preview is actually Yukari's grandfather, who comes to visit her at the hospital. Seems like a stereotypical Granpa, who just sort of put himself everywhere, perhaps some where it might not belong, but I think that's cute. :) And I believe his dream is to walk Yukari down the aisle and give her away for her marriage.

I think his memory fluctuates a few times between not remembering Yukari and remembering her. The explanation as to why that happens and/or the cause is probably interesting and/or educational, but with my current level of understanding, I guess I'll have to live without that explanation for now.

There is no surprise that he'll die, of course, but I never (or make that 'rarely') felt the sense of dread as I watched the actions unfold. The overall tone seems to be light and positive. The only grim time is when the dead occurs, but even that feeling is chased away so quickly.

I think Mamiya offers to do the embalming for her grandfather. Yukari thanks Mamiya but refuses. I'm guessing she says she prefers her grandfather exactly as he is. It makes her happy or content to see him naturally, with no artificial makeup, because (and I might be making this part up) that's just who he had been in life and the way she wants to remember him, holding out his arm out for her to link through it (I personally find this part very poignant). (I don't think I'm articulating this well, but it appears to be related to the whole wedding thing and his dream to give her away earlier.) Anyway, Mamiya later thanks Yukari for telling him about her prospective, and that he has learned something from it.

Despite what I saw in the previous episode, it seems the confrontation between Mitsuru and Mamiya is going to be postponed to the next one. That is probably the only real disappointment for me in this episode. On the upside, pissed_off!Mitsuru apparently can sing much better than the normal version, if the admiring crowd he gathers is any indication.

Azuki apparently doesn't know how to deal with a younger brother. Not that I know much more than her, but I'm sure putting your hand on his face while you (I think) cataloging all the way he is stupid for not supporting something he doesn't understand and at the same time passionately defending your (almost) lover is not a good way to go. Or maybe she's just too angry to think straight. But after all that tirade, she shouldn't have the nerve to be surprised or tried to deny the charges when Mitsuru believes she likes Mamiya and might possibly be involved with him. For a younger brother to hear that kind of news (that his sister might be in a relationship with a friend whom he believes has betrayed him), I'm pretty sure that is just making the situation from bad to worse.

(This is just me, though, but Azuki should just stick to calling Mamiya "Mamiya-san." The way she says "Shin-chan" sort of bothers me for some reason.)

So, looking forward to the next episode, I guess, even though again I have to say I live in fear of what Mitsuru might do to Mamiya. (I hope that scene in the preview is the worse that can happen.)